Simple invisibility cloaks hide toys, pets, people

With everyday materials, two research teams conceal ordinary objects

Making something invisible does not require complex materials and techniques. Well-placed mirrors or lenses can cloak fish, cats and even people, two new studies show.

Since 2006, physicists have engineered intricate materials that can steer light waves around an object to render it invisible. But such cloaks can manipulate only a narrow range of wavelengths, a far cry from the full spectrum seen by people.

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